qTrace

While testing a piece of software, you may encounter a bug or a defect. Then you must take a screenshot of that defect and come up with a report that details it. Developer QASymphony came up with qTrace for this precise situation. It is an intelligent screen capture tool that can record what you do during the testing process, without interfering with said testing process. When you’re done, you can create a report that presents the defect you traced and share that report with others.

The installation file of qTrace is close to 20MB in size, which is not very much; on a high-speed internet connection, it will not take long to download this file. To get qTrace ready for use, you need to run the aforementioned file and then click through a simple setup wizard. When you’re done and you launch qTrace for the first time, you are presented with a 2-minute, 4-step tutorial that explains how to use the application.

While running, qTrace puts a floating window on your screen. From this window you can access the Settings menu, the Help file, and you can tell the application how you want it to capture what’s on the screen (full screen, active window, custom region, selected region, or continuous recording). After you record something, you can edit it – the Editor interface is quite user friendly and it should not take long to get accustomed to it.

The functionality qTrace has to offer can be broken down into three parts: capture, edit, share.
Capture – use the application to take a screenshot or to record whatever is displayed on your screen. qTrace can run unobtrusively in the background and not disturb you while you’re testing a software.
Edit – take the screenshots captured with qTrace, edit them, and generate a report that highlights the defect you encounter while testing the software.
Share – email the bug report you create, save it as a Word or PDF document or as JPEG images, or submit a new ticket (the application integrates with multiple bug tracking systems).

qTrace is available as a Free edition (you will need to create an account and activate your Free edition) and as a paid Pro edition.

Testers are sure to enjoy the wonderful functionality the intelligent screen capture tool qTrace has to offer.